This competing renewal for the University of California, San Diego Gastroenterology Training Grant requests five additional years (years 32-37 [sic]) to continue its outstanding record to train predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows in the digestive sciences. The aim of the three-year research training program is to develop independent investigators who will devote their career to research on fundamental aspects of digestive disease, and trains [sic] individuals from the adult and pediatric Gl programs. Support is sought for six M.D. or Ph.D. postdoctoral positions (four adult Gl and two dedicated pediatric Gl), which represents an increase of two postdoctoral positions (one adult and one pediatric) due to expansion of both adult and pediatric training programs, and two predoctoral positions that will lead to the Ph.D. degree per year. John M. Carethers, M.D. will be the PI/Director with this renewal application. Dr. Carethers has an active federally-funded research laboratory that has trained 34 individuals in the past 11 years and has extensive leadership experience with fellowship postdoctoral education. Since the previous renewal five years ago, 18 predoctoral or postdoctoral trainees have been supported by the grant, with eight completing training (three Ph.D. and five M.D.). Importantly, all eight (100%) who completed training hold academic titles at research institutions. Postdoctoral training involves three years of supervised, self-directed laboratory research aimed at developing the trainee's ability to formulate meaningful scientific questions and hypotheses, design and conduct experiments to test hypothesis, and present results in oral and written form. Laboratory research is performed in the mentor's laboratory and supplemented, as appropriate, by didactic course work. The predoctoral program for Ph.D. candidates involves research training within the laboratories of faculty members of the training grant under the auspices of the Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Pathology Graduate Programs. The training faculty includes basic scientists at UCSD and neighboring research institutes where there is close collaboration. The program is designed for graduate students and M.D.s or Ph.D.s, who are committed to an academic career in digestive sciences. Special efforts are made to attract minority candidates. At completion, the postdoctoral trainees are competitive for entry level independent funding, and predoctoral trainees are highly competitive for outstanding postdoctoral positions.